New Year’s resolutions are ubiquitous and, more often than not, colossal failures. Researchers say less than 50 percent of resolutions are abandoned after only three months. Ultimately, fewer than 20 percent of New Year’s resolutions are successful.

The key to staying on track to lose weight, spend more time with family or reach personal finance goals is in the setup as much as the execution. Next month in How To, we’ll discuss ways you can stay on track through the whole year, but the first step—goal-setting—is most important. The case studies that follow offer real-life resolution wins and bombs, but here are some guidelines for reaching your goals this year and onward.

Be realistic. If you have struggled with your weight for a lifetime, expecting yourself to lose your belly fat by swimsuit season might be too big a mountain to climb.

Inspire yourself. Create a goal that makes you excited. For example, if you really want to get your spending under control, set a savings goal for an experience that you cannot wait to do. For example, “Pay off my credit card and save $3,000 so I can join my best friends on a trip to Cuba this winter.”

Identify and trust the process. If your goal is weight loss, the goal might not be a specific weight, but hiring a nutritionist, exercising two days weekly, and cutting sugar out of your diet.

Celebrate the wins. In addition to big goals, identify smaller landmarks to recognize, and bake in how you will celebrate. Growing your business to a certain sales figure might be met with the reward of a new laptop, or great tickets to a sporting event. Keep the good vibes going all year long.

By 23, Amanda Banura of Uganda has overcome more than many people do in a lifetime. At a young age, Amanda was raped by her father’s friend.

“The first time, I didn’t know [what was happening],” she said. “This guy came and found me sleeping. He just took off my bed sheet, and started touching me … Then he told me, ‘If you talk, I’m going to beat you up. And if you tell your father, I’ll kill you.’”

As we’ve recently been hearing from so many women around the world, Amanda was a victim of gender-based violence, one of the most pervasive human rights abuses globally that knows no social, economic, or geographical bounds. Worldwide, an estimated one in three of us will experience physical or sexual abuse in our lifetime. Gender-based violence occurs in many forms – including intimate partner or domestic violence, sexual violence, and threat and coercion – and directly impacts our sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Women and girls who experience gender-based violence have had their basic human rights violated and are at increased risk of a myriad of other sexual and reproductive health threats, including unintended pregnancy, unsafe abortion, and sexually transmitted diseases. In some regions, for example, survivors of violence are 50 percent more likely to acquire HIV. Women who face intimate partner or domestic violence are also routinely denied access to contraceptives or essential reproductive health care by these partners, hindering their ability to plan their family, pursue an education, or get a job. Gender-based violence is exacerbated in humanitarian emergencies and conflicts, where violence and rape are used as a tactic of war and displaced women and girls are at increased risk in the midst of chaos. Often, safe spaces and local health clinics run by international organizations such as the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) are the only place of refuge for survivors.

This violence takes a toll at a global level, too. Studies have shown that the estimated cost of violence is somewhere between one and two percent of gross domestic product. Ending violence against women is essential to achieving gender equality, one of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Amanda, like many survivors of violence, stayed silent about her abuse for many years. It was only when she received a scholarship to attend the 2013 International Conference on Family Planning and spoke to many young women like her that she realized that she was not alone.

“I went [to the conference] and met a group of vibrant young people, and I got to listen to many experiences from different countries, and I was like, ‘I’m not the only one who is really bad off,’” she said. “I was sexually harassed … by a relative to my father. I didn’t tell anyone because at the time. … I was so scared, I was so vulnerable.”

When she returned to Uganda after the conference, Amanda was determined to take action on behalf of young people in her country. She started the Ugandan Youth Alliance, which works to empower Ugandan youth to lead interventions and decisions on family planning and sexual and reproductive health and rights. Amanda’s work is particularly important in a country where three-quarters of the population is under age 30. Her project is hosted by Reproductive Health Uganda, an international reproductive health and family planning NGO that received U.S. foreign aid.

With stories like Amanda’s happening around the world, the U.S. has a critical role to play in ensuring the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls worldwide, including standing up against gender-based violence. Bi-partisan leaders in Congress have taken an important first step in re-introducing the International Violence Against Women Act. But the reinstatement of the Global Gag Rule and the defunding of UNFPA, two harmful actions by the U.S. administration, jeopardize the work of international gender-based violence programs like those run by Reproductive Health Uganda, by UNFPA, and by survivors just like Amanda. In adopting the Sustainable Development Goals, 193 countries – including the United States – agreed that the world should leave no one behind. It’s time we live up to those goals. Every person, every story counts.

Over the past 10 years, my business partner and I have seen our personal finance websitegrow from a small Australian credit card blog to a $50 million global business. Along the way, I’ve picked up a number of money habits that have been crucial in helping me realize my financial and business goals. Here are my top 10.

1. Develop and track clear goals.

It’s absolutely key that you develop clear financial goals in both the long and short term. Consider what financial milestones you want to hit in six months, a year, 10 years from now, and write it all down. Create a clear (and realistic) plan to guide you, and regularly review it and adapt as your situation changes. Too many people put these things together and then file them away in a folder or drawer, never to look at them again. I set calendar notes for check-ins, and when I’m reviewing my plan, I ask myself: What have I achieved since last check-in? Are these goals still realistic for the period in which they were set? What tools do I need that I don’t already have to make these happen?

2. Consider your options.

When starting out, it can be difficult to make your business ideas come to life. A business loan can assist with early financial strain and keep cash flow moving. However, it is important to pay attention to how much you borrow, as you don’t want this turning into additional pressure later on. Compare your options to make sure you’re getting the best deal out there for your business.

3. Remember that a first offer is just a starting point.

If every entrepreneur accepted the first “no” they received, there’d be much fewer businesses existing today. Whether I’m trying to turn a “no” into a “yes” or negotiate a better price, I always try to walk away with the best deal possible. This goes for business dealings and when making a personal purchase. I truly believe the art of negotiation is something everyone can learn, and once mastered, you’ll be surprised how much people are willing to stray from their first offer. Straight up ask if that is the best possible deal, or even go so far as to suggest potential discount terms (for example, if buying in bulk or paying in cash).

4. Integrate outsourcing.

In today’s digital world, we have the ability to work with quality professionals all across the globe, enabling businesses to recruit top talent on a needs basis. By integrating outsourcing, you’ll likely be paying a cheaper price for high-quality work and avoiding funds wasted on underutilized full-time staff. You might need to deal with international money transfers if outsourcing, but by comparing providers, you can ensure that the overall costs of these services still work in your favor.

5. Monitor your expenses.

It sounds simple, but a golden rule of mine is to always spend less than you earn. In America, for too long we’ve taken credit as a given. Keep tabs on your income, regular expenses and additional expenses, and don’t forget to accommodate room for savings. This will not only give you greater insight into where your money is going and a heightened sense of control, but it’s also a great way to help you reach your financial milestones.

6. Bootstrap.

When Frank and I first started finder, we worked off an old laptop that had missing keys, didn’t pay ourselves for years and subleased rooms in our apartment to substitute for income. Where you can, keep spending to a minimum. Think outside the box to stretch your dollar further, like using a co-working space to share services and equipment or utilizing assets you already have, like older computers and tech.

7. Grow, don’t spend.

Don’t spend your money before you’ve earned it and don’t bet on success. It may sound cliché, but it’s important to expect (and plan for) the unexpected. By concentrating on revenue, as opposed to expenditure, you’ll have a much greater chance of growing as a business. You never know when you might take a hit, so it’s better to hold off the extravagant purchases for the financial security of your business.

8. Invest in your team.

When it comes to the welfare of your team, my attitude toward money shifts a little. Your team is your family, the people who will accompany you to the top. By investing in them, you’ll likely boost workplace productivity and create a culture based on respect. At finder, we have a robust training and development program, encourage team members to pursue passion projects, and allow flexibility. This not only empowers individuals, it prevents burnout and inspires creativity—all positives for our business as well as for our people.

9. Never stop asking questions.

We learn by asking questions and seeking the advice from people more knowledgeable than ourselves. This could be a financial adviser, a business planner or even a well-versed friend. The point is, listen actively and utilize the resources that surround you each and every day. This will be much more beneficial than sticking to what you know and staying in the same place.

10. Stay humble.

Although finder’s global expansion is well underway, Frank and I have never forgotten our beginnings, where we worked off that broken laptop, striving toward our early goals. We get taken back to our early days when starting up in a new place, as it’s a whole new market. My point is, regardless of how much money you make, remember where you started, don’t get carried away, and never lose the drive and passion that inspired you to take this journey in the first place.

One of the determinants for success and leadership is mental strength. To be a peak performer and attain excellence in any field, you need desire, effort and discipline. This goes beyond acting tough; you have to be willing to work hard and persist even in the face of struggles.

Mentally strong people are willing to seek strength and fortitude by building themselves up every day. Here are eight daily habits that can help you build your mental strength.

1. Be willing to learn.

We live in the Information Age, yet not everyone is taking advantage of all the opportunities it presents for learning. Mentally strong people do not see learning as a tedious process, but as an essential routine to develop their mental strength. You have to view learning as a way to improve yourself and as a way to surge ahead in a highly competitive world.

2. Be willing to adapt.

Change is a constant factor in life; you have to learn to deal with it because nothing stays the same. It takes mental strength to be flexible and adjust to outside circumstances. You cannot afford to play the blame game or complain about imperfect situations, so learn to work toward solutions regardless of changing circumstances.

3. Be a giver.

Adam Grant, Wharton professor and author of the best-selling book Give and Take, believes that giving is an essential part of becoming successful. It takes mental strength to give or to want to go the extra mile for someone without expecting anything in return. Focus on adding value and contributing to the world.

4. Think outside the box.

Mentally strong people forge their own paths. Sometimes you need to be creative and think outside the box to reach your goals—to get out of your comfort zone or take an unfamiliar route. What is essential is that you are solution-oriented and see problems as opportunities.

5. Believe in yourself.

If you do not believe in yourself, who will? It’s not about what others have to say about you; it’s what you have to say about yourself. We all face challenges on a daily basis, but when you are firm and resolute about your desires, you will achieve the things you want most.

6. Be responsible.

Your successes and failures are on you, not anyone else. Although some people prefer to blame others, you become mentally strong by admitting errors and taking responsibility for the challenges you face. Show others what needs to be done instead of retreating in fear, and take pride in overcoming your daily encounters.

7. Be self-aware.

The right questions offer the right answers. It takes mental strength to understand your emotions, strengths and weaknesses. Even when you are having a rough day, you are aware of what you need to do to find peace. Assessing your emotions and knowing yourself can help you retain a calm attitude even during times of crisis.

8. Assume control.

In a fast-paced digital world, there are countless distractions. According to Neil Patel, entrepreneur and digital strategist, “We live in a time when we are constantly being marketed to through several media. The future belongs to those who can assume control.” Mentally strong people rise above negative situations and time-sucking distractions.

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